The Centaur and the Praying Mantis
by ice illuser
Summary: It was the same no matter how many times they met. He would hate her superiority and she would consider him a beast. But she could never perform the final blow, and he could never tolerate any insult towards her, besides from him. Nnoitra/Nel
1. Past and Present

Disclaimer: I could never have come up with such awesome characters as Nel or Hitsugaya, so obviously I don't own Bleach. 

A/N: Yeah, I know I haven't updated anything lately (sorry, but while Zaraki has been awesome, there haven't been any moments to write about) but I have suddenly become inspired to do Nel/Nnoitra because of chapter 312 Fevorous Ferocious. It seems to be such a potentially twisted pairing, so let's write one and see how it goes. 

--

As a child with perpetually messy, strangely blonde-green hair, Neliel Tu Oderschvank had been absolutely fascinated by horses. Their large, expressively dark eyes, their long swishing tails, and above all the graceful yet powerful way they ran would send Nel, as she was commonly called, into a state of glee as she scrambled to watch them gallop by on the race track. 

As she grew older, her father, an avid fan of horse racing, indulgently bought her a chestnut pony, and hired a trainer to teach her daughter how to ride. A delighted Nel hugged her father tightly, thanked him repeatedly, and ran down to the stables, only to skid around a corner to run straight into the gangly, black-haired stable boy hired from the monastery orphanage. 

--

Nnoitra had been the bully of the orphanage, beating up all of the other boys and terrifying all of the girls. The monks despaired of ever managing to tame his violent temper, so when Lord Oderschvank requested to hire a boy as a stable hand, the monks couldn't have been quicker in packing up all of Nnoitra's few possessions, and pointing the way to Oderschvank Manor. 

Nnoitra didn't really care for horses, they stank like hell after all, but it was fine by him since it had long since gotten boring beating the shit out of the orphanage boys, and he might now find someone else to fight. What he hadn't counted on though, was the young lady of the manor knocking him to the ground on the very first day. 

"I'm so sorry!" Nel exclaimed, offering out a hand to help him up with. 

He knocked her hand away, glaring, "Watch it," he spat out. 

Nel frowned, "Just trying to help, you know."

"I don't need any help from some fucking _girl," _Nnoitra sneered, pulling himself up and pulling straw out of his black hair. 

"Funny, since a girl just knocked you over," Nel commented, flicking a few strands of her strange hair out of her face. 

Nnoitra's face darkened, "You trying to pick a fight?" he asked slowly. 

"No," she replied, walking off, "I'm going to see my horse."

Nnoitra grabbed her by the shoulder and whirled her around, "Don't ignore me," he said venomously. 

She calmly drew her fist back and socked him squarely in the jaw, "Don't overreact to everything," she replied as he fell stunned to the ground.

--

They both grew older, Nnoitra constantly challenging Nel to another fight, and Nel always calmly beating Nnoitra to the ground, no matter if it was bare-handed combat or fencing. He grew taller, nearly like a praying mantis in how skinny he was, with long black hair. He refused to call her "Lady Neliel" like a servant should, or even "Nel" like her friends, but always "Neliel". He despised the way she always beat him when she was a fucking _girl_, my god. And unfortunately, she was beginning to turn into a pretty woman as well. 

Nel blossomed into a voluptuous young lady, her still strangely green hair spilling down her shoulders. She considered Nnoitra something like a beast for always getting into fights, but for some reason she didn't really mind his company. She neatly concealed all of their fights from her father to keep Nnoitra from getting into trouble, and put up with all of his insults. She was beginning to think herself something of masochist. Her father on the other hand, anxiously organized wait lists for all of his daughter's suitors, as she blissfully rode Gamuza around the grounds. 

Nnoitra balefully shoveled manure from the stables as today's two top-hatted suitors sat around waiting for Nel to return from her ride. 

"Such a pretty girl," commented one of them. 

"Indeed," agreed the other, "There is a sort of…exotic beauty about her."

Nnoitra snorted. _You mean the fact that she has green hair?_

"And such splendid horsemanship!"

"Yes, she rides quite well."

"The other smirked, "That could apply in other areas as well."

Nnoitra's head snapped up. _Did they just…no way. _There was no fucking way that Neliel was ever going to dominated by those weaklings. And yet, here they were talking about it as if they didn't know that the only one who would ever, _ever _dominate Neliel was him. 

The former laughed, "Yes, well—"

_Plop. _A big heap of manure landed right in front of both gentlemen, spraying them a bit with a few flecks of the nasty stuff. Nnoitra propped the shovel on his shoulder, "Oops, sorry about that. My hand slipped."

The gentlemen stared at the pile of manure at their feet, and then lifted their heads up to glare at a smirking Nnoitra. 

"You-you insolent servant!" finally roared one, standing up and flinging his glove at Nnoitra's face. 

Nnoitra easily stepped back and grabbed the white glove. He grinned manically, baring his teeth "You're challenging me?"

"Whoever said anything about challenging you!" the suitor bellowed, pulling his sleeves up, "I'm going to beat some manners into you!"

Nnoitra didn't answer, and simply hit the man over the head with the shovel. The man blinked, and then keeled over. Nnoitra prodded the prone body, "Well, that was boring. You next?" he asked, looking at the other man. 

The other man glanced at his fallen comrade, and slowly unsheathed the sword at his side. Nnoitra's grin grew even wider, "Great! Now I can use these," he commented, dropping the shovel on the fallen suitor's face, and grabbing to scythes. 

The man didn't hesitate in swooping in in a blow that would have knocked the scythes out of Nnoitra's hands if he hadn't ducked lithely, and slammed his scythes into the sword with more force than seemed possible with his skinny build. 

Nnoitra laughed as the man's eyes widened. "What's the matter?" he jeered, "Better get serious, or you're fixing to get killed."

"_Nnoitra!" _

Nnoitra (although he knew that voice so well) whirled around to see who was calling him. At that point, the man took his one chance, and slashed Nnoitra across his left eye. 

Nel gasped, and stormed straight over to the two. Pushing the suitor aside, she automatically grasped Nnoitra by the shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Nnoitra's mouth twisted into a sneer as he shoved her aside, and threw a scythe at the suitor. It embedded in his arm, and he screamed in pain. 

Nel groaned, "Okay…you!" she pointed at the suitor, "Go as fast as you can up to the house; my father will call the doctor in for you. Drag that other guy with you as well."

As the suitor painfully limped away, she turned to Nnoitra. She reached for his face, thought better of it at his glare, and simply asked, "Okay, what happened?"

Nnoitra wiped away the blood on his face and grimaced, "I got into a fight, okay/'

Nel bit her lip, "This," she said slowly, "was not your normal fight. Even you aren't usually in such a state of bloodlust that you go after nobles."

Nnoitra shrugged, "Got bored of the other servants. Thought a noble could be more of a challenge. But they weren't."

Nel made a slightly placating gesture, "How about just telling me the truth?"

Nnoitra spat on the ground, "Like there's anything else to say."

Nel stared at him for awhile before sighing, "Well, either ways, we need to get you cleaned up. How's that eye?"

"Horrible," muttered Nnoitra, wincing, "All thanks to you."

Nel winced, "I'm really sorry about it—"

"Shut the fuck up and help me bandage it then," snapped Nnoitra. 

Nel frowned, pushing aside her green hair, "Is it that bad then?" she asked softly, "You never ask for help."

"Well I'm asking for it right now," Nnoitra said, side-stepping the question, "Get me a bandage or something."

"Alright, alright," Nel said, standing up, "Even if you won't tell me anything."

--

Despite Nnoitra's glibness, the wound to his eye was actually severe enough to have him wearing an eye patch most of the time. He never told Nel why he had actually fought with her suitors, but later Telsa, another stable hand that followed Nnoitra around even though he constantly bullied him, told Nel exactly what the suitors had said. 

Upon hearing Nnoitra's motivation, Nel was torn between feelings of pleasure and apprehension. Nnoitra hated her, and she didn't really like him all that much did she? 

To think about this situation, Nel went on longer and longer rides in the countryside. One day she was riding along, and then there was an accident. 

--

Nnoitra stood in front of the body of Nel in disbelief. There was no way-no way that this could be her, right? There was none of the goddamn superiority that had infuriated him, none of the calmness, just a limp body with dull eyes surrounded by green hair. 

Neliel could not be dead. 

It was just not possible. She couldn't be dead now, not before he had ever managed to beat her, not at her peak. What was this? How could she be dead by her horse spooking at the sight of something, rearing, and making her fall down? 

Telsa looked at the silent Nnoitra and said softly, "Nnoitra?"

Nnoitra didn't respond, still staring at her corpse. 

"Nnoitra?" Telsa tried again, "Other people would like to pay their respects."

"Fuck them," Nnoitra bit off. 

Telsa bowed his head, "Nnoitra," he began, "Did you—"

Nnoitra turned away, and gathering a small knapsack along with two scythes, began to stride out of the hall. Telsa chased after him, calling out, "Nnoitra? Nnoitra! What are you doing?"

"I'm going away," Nnoitra replied, not bothering to look back, wrenching the door open. 

"What? Why?"

Nnoitra shrugged, walking out, "There's nothing left for me here."

--

Nnoitra dragged a hand through his long black hair in disgust. How the hell had he gotten tossed in a jail? Yeah, fine, he had gotten a bit drunk, and yeah maybe he had bloodied a few noses and slashed around, and destroyed half of the bar, but it wasn't like he had killed anyone or anything like that. 

He leaned back on the dank wall, "Shit," he muttered, "See what you've reduced me to, Neliel?"

"Yes."

He whirled around, and stared at horror at a growing shadow in the corner of the room, "Someone there?" he called out cautiously. 

A very familiar light laugh sounded, "Forgot me already, Nnoitra?"

"Neliel?" Nnoitra gasped out, squinting into the corner, "But how—"

His eye widened when he saw what was really hulking in the shadows. Some sort of monster with a skull mask with dangerously curled horns was crouched there in that corner, and was still speaking to him in Neliel's voice. 

"Surprised Nnoitra?" the monster said softly. 

"N-neleil?" he croaked out, "What-what's going on?"

"I missed you, Nnoitra," she said simply, "So I came here to see you."

"But, what—"

"You aren't happy seeing me?" Nel said sharply. 

Nnoitra managed to sneer, "Why should I be happy to see you?"

The monster that was Neliel began to step in closer, "Are you really not happy to see me?"

Nnoitra felt a shiver of fear pass through him, as he carefully put his hand on the hilt of a concealed knife, "What's it to you?"

She gave a grotesque approximation of Neliel's calm smile as she leaned in, "Because if you aren't, I may have to resort to some more base methods to remind you," she said softly. 

"Oh? And what might that be?" Nnoitra asked, both leering and gripping the blade even tighter. 

"This," she replied, suddenly wrapping her long green arms around him, and sinking her claws into his back, dragging out his soul chain. 

Nnoitra's eyes dulled, as his soul stared in shock at his body. But some instinct threw Nnoitra out of the way as Neliel attempted to pounce on him. Not looking back, he ran out of the jail, as fast as he could. 

Neliel simply sat back and watched him run away. The loneliness that had gnawed away at her had been abated for now, so she was content. 

--

It had been some time. She shook her head as she looked as she looked at her new adjuchas form. It was very different from her Gillian form; she now had the form of something like a cross between a goat and a horse, with sharp curling horns sprouting from her head. 

"Nel-sama!"

She turned to survey the adjuchas that had also attached themselves to her. Pesche and Dondochakka looked frankly ridiculous, but their abilities were pretty good, if sort of…strange. But it suited her. She always had a penchant for things that were a little strange. 

She frowned and clutched her head. There was something…missing. Something that seemed rather important, actually. What it was though, she wasn't sure, she couldn't remember anything about her life before now. Just running around and devouring souls…nothing else she could remember. 

"Nel-sama!"

She snapped out of her reverie, to turn to her companions. There would be time to piece back together her past if she wanted, but it would have to wait till later, when things were finally settled. 

--

Nnoitra flexed the many arms of his new adjuchas form. Now this, _this _was what he had been longing for. This power seeping through his veins, so different from the mindless fury as a hollow, or the dullness of his Gillian state. Yet, even this wasn't quite enough. Something was there that he still needed. Something…but he could no longer remember, except for a feeling of rage and exasperation that overtook him. 

"Nnoitra-sama!"

Nnoitra ignored Telsa, as was his habit. What was it that he wanted? More power maybe? …that did sound familiar. So maybe that really was it. In that case, he would not spare any time in trying to become a vasto lorde. 

"Nnoitra-sama!"

Nnoitra turned to his fraccion, "Hurry up," he stated as he began to stride forward. 

Telsa frowned in confusion, "What? Where are we going Nnoitra-sama?"

"Never you mind," Nnoitra snarled, not bothering to look behind him, 'Either hurry the fuck up or you're going to be left behind."

Telsa wasn't one to disobey his master; no matter how cruel he was, so he hurried after him. 

--

Maybe she was pretty-alright, she was beautiful-but that didn't stop him from hating Neliel the minute he set eyes on her. In fact, it made his hate burn even brighter. A pretty arrancar would only be good as a submissive fraccion like Loly or Menoly or something, not the number 3 Espada. 

Especially not when he was only the number 8 Espada. It could not be tolerated. 

What was worse was that sometimes when he was around her, he could suddenly smell the sweetly pungent smell of hay or feel a cool breeze on his face, which was impossible in deadly desert-like Hueco Mundo. It brought with it a sense of peace, something he didn't want at all. He wanted to be the strongest of the Espada, and Neliel was in the way. 

So after their last fight, where she once again beat him, and he asked her why she never bothered with a finishing blow, to which she replied that he was nothing more than a beast, he had made up his mind. Although he would have loved to have actually beaten her one-on-one in a fair fight, it just wasn't possible right now. Not with his current state, anyway. He would have to get rid of her for some time, until he became strong enough to defeat her on his own. 

He disliked Szayel on principle, but he did need his help, so Neliel and her fraccion were slashed, and thrown out of the gates. How he laughed when he saw Neliel transform into a small sniveling brat. 

Maybe he did feel a hint of regret, but he dismissed that emotion as an obvious product that there would be no one to fight every day now. Besides, she would be back soon enough, if he knew Neliel. 

--

Nel couldn't remember much. This tall black haired looming up above her seemed…nearly familiar in some ways. 

_A beast, _a voice whispered in her mind. 

She shook her head quickly and cupped her ears. What was this?

_A beast, but not quite lost. Or else we would have killed him years ago. Along with other reasons. _

She frowned. She didn't understand, what was going on? 

The man, the 5th Espada drew back his zanpaktou to give Ichigo one final stab. 

_No. _

"_Ichigo!" _

--

It felt good to be back in her true form, Nel reflected, stretching her fingers. And of course, there was Nnoitra standing across from her, his shocked expression replaced by a leering smirk. 

And somehow even now she could still not convince herself to hate him enough to kill him, even after he had attacked her from behind and had her banished into wilderness of Hueco Mundo. Why? 

She shrugged to herself as she prepared to fight Nnoitra once again. It was that masochist part of her that she could never understand, she supposed, that made her spare him over and over again instead of just ending this vicious cycle. Either ways it didn't matter. Right now she just wanted to keep Ichigo, who had been so kind to her, safe from Nnoitra, who she could still not figure out what he meant to her. 

--

This was shit. 

He didn't want pity. He fucking hated pity. Always that look from Neliel, and now from this overgrown bastard of a shinigami. 

He never wanted it. But it seemed to be his doomed fate to always end up getting beat by people who didn't even have the fucking decency to at least end his misery, but instead stare at him with pity. 

As he fell he shot a look at the child Neliel. Pathetically weak, wasn't she? He hated to look at her like that. It was a disgusting farce of what Neliel really was. 

And yet when she opened her eyes, and whispered his name, he felt something like regret steal over him. It could have been different if either of them had done differently than they did, he realized. 

Maybe next time. 

--

It was over. Aizen was dead, and Gin and Tousen taken back to Soul Society for trial. 

Nnoitra and Nel sat across from each other, neither saying anything. There really wasn't much to say. 

Finally Nel sighed and said, "Care to do something besides glare at me, Nnoitra?"

"What are you offering?" Nnoitra snapped, with a customary leer. 

"You know that an explanation or an apology from you would better your own case before Soul Society," Nel stated calmly. 

Nnoitra snorted, "That's fucking rich coming from you Neliel. You know any apologies from me would be false anyway."

"So you have no regrets?" she asked seriously.

"None," replied Nnoitra, stolidly staring back at Nel's penetrating stare. 

Nel smiled quietly, "I think you're lying again Nnoitra."

Nnoitra leaned back, "Don't really give a shit about what you think, Neliel," he said easily. 

"Then why are you sitting here listening to me?" 

"Can't exactly get away now, can I?" Nnoitra replied, "Not with all your shinigami friends running around outside."

Nel made a slightly impatient flicking motion with her hand, "Enough Nnoitra. Let's cut to the chase. I'm the one person who can possibly keep you away from destruction by the shinigami. Now, would you like to explain why you attacked me the way you did?"

Nnoitra sneered, "You already know my reasons."

"Do I? Do I really, Nnoitra?" she asked.

"What the hell do you mean?"

"How many times could you have killed me?" she asked softly, "And yet you did not."

"I think I hit your head too hard, Neliel," Nnoitra stated, "Of course I didn't kill you, then I couldn't fight you and beat you."

"And yet," she continued, "you did try to kill me when you saw me as a child."

Nnoitra snickered, "You looked so pathetic like that," he said bluntly, "I was trying to put you out of your misery."

"Were you? It seems you have my best interests in your heart, Nnoitra," Nel said dryly. 

Nnoitra laughed, "And what about you, Neliel?" he challenged her, "Why did you never kill me?"

Nel blinked in surprise, "You already know of course."

"Ah, but do I? Do I really, Neliel?" he asked, repeating her words, and leaning into her, "You always said I was too much of a beast to kill, but really, didn't you have a better reason?"

Nel calmly gazed up into his face, "If I tell you, then will you explain yourself as well?"

Nnoitra gave out a harsh bark laughter, "Explain myself? Well, sure but—"

Nel leaned in and brushed her lips over his. "There. Now give me your explanation."

Nnoitra stared at Nel in shock, "What-what the hell did you just do?"

"Kissed you, obviously," Nel stated, slightly annoyed, "Which is an explanation all in itself, you know. So what's yours?"

Nnoitra frowned, and pulling her to him, kissed her furiously, dominating her with his mouth the way he had always wanted to do with a sword instead. But this could be considered better, in a way. 

As they broke apart, Nel offered him a quirky smile, "Your explanation is the same?"

"Obviously," he spat out, before pulling her to him again. 

She pulled away, "Ah," she said still smiling but now mischievously, "But you see I'm just a silly little girl, you might have to spell it out for me."

Nnoitra groaned as he pulled her back in, "I want you," he ground out. 

She laughed, "Fair enough. That's all I'll get for now I know," she said as she was silenced by another kiss. 

--

A/N: That was rather long. But I had fun writing it, so sorry if it was a bit OOC. I was listening to the Sweeney Todd soundtrack the entire time I was writing this, so it might have affected my head…anyway, if you want another chapter with Nnoitra and Nel in the human world, please review! Also, as a note, hollows go after those they love first, so I though that might be a nice touch. 


	2. Future

Disclaimer: You'd think that having said it so many times that it would be obvious, wouldn't it

Disclaimer: You'd think that having said it so many times that it would be obvious wouldn't it? But for emphasis, I'll say it again: I don't own Bleach.

A/N: So…I decided that I really did want to do a second chapter for this fic, featuring Nel and Nnoitra in the real world, present time. It's a sort of AU piece, but it does tie in with the actual story. Just read it, you'll see.

--

Ichigo checked the address on the slip of paper against the sign of the shop. 3581 Crescent Knight Flower Shop. Rukia had told him firmly that if he attempted to get flowers from any other store, she would somehow know, and kick his ass all the way to Soul Society. Not for the first time the orange haired man wondered how he had managed to end up so whipped to a dark haired girl that was at least three heads shorter than him.

And now they were engaged to be married. His father had teared up and began proclaiming his happiness to the poster of his mother with sparkles glittering all around him, while Yuzu happily congratulated them and Karin muttered that it was about time. It had seemed a good idea at the time to propose, but now with all the wedding arrangements to be done, and Byakuya visiting nearly every day to make sure that "the Kuchiki family wouldn't be shamed by some outlandish idea" he was wondering if it would have been easier just to elope.

Sighing, he stepped into the small flower shop, to be immediately surrounded by a multitude of plants. It was like some sort of strange rainforest, filled with all sorts of green leafy things, and multi-colored blossoms. Brushing aside a huge leaf, he called out, "Hello? Anyone there?"

Something at the far end of the room crashed, as someone babbled, "Gah! I'm so sorry Nel!"

A girl sighed, "It's okay Pesche. We can replace it. Now let's go greet our customer."

There was a noise like someone tripping over a load of flower pots, and another person frantically going through apologies.

The girl sighed again, "It's really alright Dondochakka. We can get new ones. Now move aside and let me get to the customer."

Ichigo heard plants' leaves being rustled aside before a teenage girl with hair so green that it blended in with the other plants managed to appear before him. Cradling a large orchid, she looked at him curiously, "Welcome to Crescent Knight Flower Shop, how may we help you?"

Ichigo swore that the girl looked really familiar, but he couldn't place her, which was odd since how many times had he seen green hair? Shrugging he said, "Yeah, I'd like to place an order for flowers for a wedding?"

The girl smiled, brushing aside a bunch of leaves covering the counter in the shop and setting the orchid on it. "What type of flowers?"

Ichigo scratched his head as he scowled. What type of flowers? How was he supposed to know? Rukia had just kicked him out of the clinic with the slip of paper in his hands and a warning that he had better do the job right or he was so dead. "…roses?" he suggested blankly.

The girl cocked her head to the right in contemplation, "Well…that's very traditional," she stated slowly, "but is that what your fiancée wants?"

Ichigo considered this question. He wasn't actually sure what flowers Rukia liked, which was going to be the death of him if he picked flowers that she didn't like. "Could you suggest something?" he asked helplessly.

The girl looked at the ceiling in thought and then beamed. "I do have some ideas," she said, pulling out flowers from all around her, "Now, while roses are very traditional, there are obviously more original choices," she explained, setting the flowers out in front of Ichigo, "For example, Cala lilies. Cala lilies signify majestic beauty. Or Stephanotis, they signify happiness in marriage. Or even orchids, they signify magnificence and love—"

"Forced to give that spiel again to sell flowers Neliel?" a voice went behind Ichigo as the door of the shop slammed open, "Is business that bad these days?"

Nel's mouth turned downward, "Nnoitra," she nodded her head coolly at the gangly, tall black haired teen standing behind Ichigo, "why are you here? Again?"

Nnoitra leered, smirk plastered across his face, "Isn't it obvious?"

Nel sighed a sigh of deep suffering, "Unfortunately yes," she grumbled, reaching down the counter for something, "But can it wait? I've got a customer here." she pointedly nodded at Ichigo.

Nnoitra eyed Ichigo, looking up and down appraisingly, "What, you'd rather deal with a guy with orange hair than fight me?" he sneered.

"I'd rather wander around lost in a desert than fight you," Nel replied evenly, and then turned back to Ichigo, "So, have you decided?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to ask if he could take some samples back to show Rukia and therefore avoid getting his ass kicked, when Nnoitra slammed hand down on the counter. "Don't fucking ignore me Neliel," he spat out.

"Hold on a sec," Nel said apologetically to Ichigo before looking darkly at Nnoitra, "What are you, five? You can handle not having any attention paid to you for about ten more minutes."

Nnoitra reached out and grabbed her by the arms, "Don't act like you're so fucking superior to me," he ground out.

Before Ichigo could even think to intervene, Nel head butted Nnoitra neatly and then turned back to Ichigo as Nnoitra cursed and leaned against the counter supporting his head. "Sorry about that," she said easily, "So, what's your decision?"

Ichigo glanced at Nnoitra, "…are you sure he's okay?" he asked slowly.

"Oh, he's fine," Nel replied carelessly, taking out more flowers, "This happens all the time."

"You _do not _head-butt me all the time," Nnoitra spat out, slowly raising his head.

"No, but you do lose in some way or another all the time," replied Nel holding up a bunch of white orchids, "May I suggest orchids? They're very popular this year."

"I'm not sure really," muttered Ichigo, rubbing his head, "They're popular? As in, most girls like them?"

Nel considered this idea, staring at the orchids, "I believe most girls do," she finally replied, "They do look rather nice as a bouquet."

"I wouldn't trust Neliel's judgment if I were you," Nnoitra commented balefully, glancing at the convex mirror in the store to see how big the lump on his head was, "She's not like what a girl should be at all."

"Doesn't stop you from coming into this store and ogling me all the time," Nel shot back, "Did your fiancée tell you to pick out flowers yourself?"

Ichigo grimaced, "She sort of just kicked me out of the house and told me to come here," he mumbled.

"Whipped," Nnoitra said loudly, leaning against the counter.

"You can't talk Nnoitra," Nel replied, not looking at him, "Who's the one who comes in every day to get beaten in a fight and ends up getting required to help me close up shop?"

Nnoitra bared his teeth, "Who's the one stuck in here on a weekend working away instead of doing whatever girls do?" he countered.

Nel shrugged, "I like working here, it's no issue. How about I give you some samples of the flowers, and you can show your fiancée them?" she suggested.

Ichigo nodded, taking out his wallet, "That's probably a good idea. How much is it?"

Nel shook her head, wrapping up random sprigs of multi-colored flowers, "It's just a sample so it doesn't cost anything. Come back when she decides. Are you going to make yourself useful, Nnoitra?"

Nnoitra's eyes narrowed, "I haven't lost yet. Bring it," he spat out, shifting his weight into an attacking stance.

Nel handed Ichigo the samples in a plastic bag, ignoring Nnoitra, "Well here you are. Thank you for visiting our humble flower shop, we hope that you will come back soon."

Ichigo nodded in gratitude, carefully hefting up the bag, "Thanks. We will, and hopefully Rukia will also come next time…" he muttered to himself as he walked out of the shop.

Nel nodded, and busied herself with watering the flowers sitting on the shelf behind her. Nnoitra cursed under his breath and yelled, "_OI!_ I'm over here you know!"

Nel looked at him over her shoulder, idly flicking away a strand of her brilliantly green hair, "How could I forget?" she asked dryly, "You're always here."

Nnoitra snarled and flung himself at her, fist drawn back for a punch. Nel easily sidestepped him, twirling away in one fluid movement to water the next set of plants, as Nnoitra crashed face forward into the shelf. He whirled around and aimed a round kick at her head which she ducked without ever letting go of the watering can and with one sweeping motion at his feet, caused him to fall to the floor.

Nel stood up, brushing the dust off of her jeans and apron, "Well, now will you help me out?" she asked calmly, "We've got a new shipment of ferns we have to bring in."

Nnoitra looked at her in disgust as he slowly drew his gangly self up, "Can't even bring in a bunch of plants by yourself?" he asked with a customary sneer.

Nel rolled her eyes, walking to the back of the store, "I could, but then Pesche and Dondochakka will want to help, and then half of all the ferns will be lying helplessly on the ground. If you help, they won't try to help since they're scared of you."

Nnoitra followed Nel slowly to the back, "You have such fucking useless helpers," he commented snidely, picking up one of the boxes carelessly.

Nel laughed softly, also picking up a box carefully, "But they try really hard and work really hard," she replied, slowly carrying the box to the other side of the shop, "If they're a bit clumsy sometimes, oh well."

"That's why your shop never makes any money," Nnoitra stated, dropping the box of ferns down on the shelf, "Always being so fucking nice."

"Careful," Nel cautioned, putting down her box softly, "And anyway, I don't think if I tyrannized them like you tyrannize Telsa that they would anymore effective."

Nnoitra snorted, piling three boxes on top of each other and carrying them over, "At least Telsa does what I tell him to do," he pointed out, dropping them on the shelf.

"I feel sorry for Telsa," Nel said thoughtfully, organizing the boxes that Nnoitra had so carelessly dropped, "Always doing what you tell him to do, it's like he doesn't have a will of his own."

"And what's wrong with that?" Nnoitra asked disdainfully, with a customary leer at her.

Nel shook her head ruefully, "Why does he follow you around anyway? All you do is order him around."

Nnoitra shrugged, opening up the boxes, "How the hell should I know? He's been like that ever since he moved in next door when we were kids."

"So he's been basically your slave since you two were what? Six? Seven?" Nel asked idly, as she carefully placed the fern plants on the shelf.

"Eight actually," Nnoitra replied, watching Nel instead of helping her, "And he can stop taking orders from me if he wanted to, you know."

Nel considered this idea, then shook her head, her hair falling like a curtain in front of her face, "No, I don't think so. You'd beat his head into the ground if he did that."

Nnoitra shrugged, "I never said there wouldn't be repercussions. But of course you would assume that."

"I would," agreed Nel softly, caressing one of the ferns lovingly, "because I'm not like you."

Nnoitra put his elbow on the counter and leaned towards Nel, "Oh _really, _now?" he asked with a smirk, "I don't think we're so different, you and I, Neleil."

"Oh?" Nel said, looking at him calmly as though he wasn't inches away from her face, "How so?"

"You have your minions, as useless as they are," he commented, reaching up and wrapping a strand of her hair around his finger, "as do I. You're a good fighter. You're attracted to me."

Nel raised an eyebrow, "So we're similar because I'm attracted to you and you're narcissistic? Right, of course," she commented blithely, but not moving away.

"So you admit it," Nnoitra said smoothly, smirk growing wider, "And you know what I mean."

A small smile appeared on Nel's face, "You hardly need reassurance, considering how I am going out with you," she said softly, leaning in closer.

"Damn right," Nnoitra agreed, before completely jerking her into his arms, "You're mine," he hissed into her ear.

Nel sighed, "So very possessive," she muttered, burying her face into his neck.

"You love me even for all of that," Nnoitra countered, lifting her face up to meet his gaze, "Don't you Neliel?"

She stared solemnly into his dark eyes, "Don't see why I do," she replied, looking away, "I think I must be a masochist or something, since you're a sadist."

"That may be," Nnoitra agreed, as he turned her head again to face him and pushed a bruising kiss onto her.

While Nnoitra and Nel were busy arguing/making out, Pesche and Dondochakka were hiding behind a bunch of potted plants and attempting to figure out the most suitable course of action.

"Let's just hide here," Dondochakka mumbled, sticking out from behind the pot.

Pesche shook his head, "We can't just leave Nel out there with that brute!" he insisted.

"She'll be fine," Dondochakka said confidently, shifting to get in a more comfortable position, "She always beats him if they fight. And you know she's happy with him."

"God knows why," Pesche muttered darkly, glaring at the couple from behind the frond of a large plant, "Nel's so nice, and he's so…"

"Scary," Dondochakka finished for him, "I know. But if she even convinced Mr. Oderschvank that she knows what she's doing, then it's probably fine. And you know that one time we visited a fortune teller, that guy Zommari Leroux, he said that they had a bond of karma."

"Bond of karma, my ass," Pesche commented, "That guy was insane."

Nel chuckled as she listened to her two "minions'" comments. Nnoitra snorted in disgust, "Don't they know we can hear them?" he asked Nel loudly, causing the two "minions" to scurry back even further into the plants.

"No, they don't think like that," Nel replied, smiling an exasperated grin, "And we should get back to work."

"What, you don't want to make out with me anymore?" Nnoitra asked, holding her tighter to him.

Nel easily twisted out of his grasp, "We can do that later," she said off-handedly, sorting through the ferns once again, "This can't wait."

Nnoitra shook his head as he began to help Nel put the ferns on the shelf, "Can't your two useless helpers do this instead of you, or at least help out?"

Nel turned and gave him an incredulous look, "They're terrified of you," she stated firmly, "They won't even come out until you leave."

"In that case," leered Nnoitra, dropping his work automatically, "Why don't we go out tonight and they can finish all this fucking work?"

Nel looked at the ceiling and then replied, "Let's finish this. Then you can take me out tonight."

"Fucking kill-joy," muttered Nnoitra, glaring at the ferns.

"Sadistic asshole," said Nel in response, the words in stark contrast to her cultured voice.

Nnoitra scowled, "Masochistic bitch," he bit out.

"Bastard," Nel drawled, then wiped her hands on her apron and looked critically at the ferns arranged on the shelf, "That'll do," she finally said and then grabbed Nnoitra by the hand, "Let's go."

Nnoitra hated how she always seemed to take the initiative, but if they were finally getting out of this cramped flower shop he couldn't really complain, so he let himself get led out of the shop.

As the door slammed shut, Dondochakka crawled out from behind the potted plant with a sigh of relief, "Thank god he's gone."

"I guess," Pesche said mournfully looking around the shop, "But now they're off by themselves doing god knows what."

"Nel is a responsible young lady," Dondochakka said confidently, "It'll be fine. Besides, don't you like seeing Nel happy?"

Pesche let out a long-suffering sigh as he moved a few plants around, "I guess even though it's with that sadistic guy."

"They've already been through a lot," Dondochakka said vaguely, helping Pesche move the plants around, "They'll be fine."

Pesche stayed silent for a few minutes before he nodded, "Yeah, I know," he said finally.

**My neck is stretching**

_If you give me wings,  
I would fly for you  
_

**Higher than the moon**

_Even should this earth  
Sink into water  
_

**Until no more sympathy is visible**

_If you give me a sword,  
I would stand and fight for you  
_

**I run from you bastards.**

_Even should this sky  
Pierce you with light_

--

A/N: Okay, first things first. The ending poem thing isn't by me, it's by Kubo Tite. The one in bold is the one for Nnoitra (obviously) and the one in italics is for Nel (also obvious. Nnoitra wouldn't say stuff like that). I thought it would make a cool ending, and look, it did. (At least I think so). Did anyone catch the significance of the address? (3 is Nel's number, 5 and 8 are Nnoitra's, and 1 is what he wanted the entire time, crescent was his sword, and knight was Nel's form). Did I make it OOC? It was hard to make them sound like normal teenagers…so yeah, Nnoitra was toned down a little. Please review! Oh, and I'm thinking about maybe a different fic of Nnoitra and Nel during different times and worlds (like royal courts and demon lords). What do you think?


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